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Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Waiting On Wednesday: HarperCollins Summer 2014 Catalog

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill of Breaking The Spine in which upcoming, eagerly anticipated releases are highlighted on the blog.

This week, I've chosen to feature a few picks from the HarperCollins Summer 2014 Catalog:

The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen
Date: July 8, 2014
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On her nineteenth birthday, Princess Kelsea Raleigh Glynn, raised in exile, sets out on a perilous journey back to the castle of her birth to ascend her rightful throne. Plain and serious, a girl who loves books and learning, Kelsea bears little resemblance to her mother, the vain and frivolous Queen Elyssa. But though she may be inexperienced and sheltered, Kelsea is not defenseless: Around her neck hangs the Tearling sapphire, a jewel of immense magical power; and accompanying her is the Queen’s Guard, a cadre of brave knights led by the enigmatic and dedicated Lazarus. Kelsea will need them all to survive a cabal of enemies who will use every weapon—from crimson-caped assassins to the darkest blood magic—to prevent her from wearing the crown.
Despite her royal blood, Kelsea feels like nothing so much as an insecure girl, a child called upon to lead a people and a kingdom about which she knows almost nothing. But what she discovers in the capital will change everything, confronting her with horrors she never imagined. An act of singular daring will throw Kelsea’s kingdom into tumult, unleashing the vengeance of the tyrannical ruler of neighboring Mortmesne: the Red Queen, a sorceress possessed of the darkest magic. Now Kelsea will begin to discover whom among the servants, aristocracy, and her own guard she can trust.
But the quest to save her kingdom and meet her destiny has only just begun—a wondrous journey of self-discovery and a trial by fire that will make her a legend…if she can survive.

The early hype for The Queen of the Tearling has been off the walls! A film has already been optioned and the book has been receiving rave reviews. Ultimately though, it's the mention of a bookish heroine, dark magic, and assassins that's got me interested in this one!


Wild by Alex Mallory
Date: July 8, 2014
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The forest is full of secrets, and no one understands that better than Cade. Foraging, hunting, surviving— that’s all he knows. Alone for years, Cade believes he’s the sole survivor. At least, until he catches a glimpse of a beautiful stranger…
Dara expected to find natural wonders when she set off for a spring break camping trip. Instead, she discovers a primitive boy— he’s stealthy and handsome and he might be following her. Intrigued, Dara seeks him out and sets a catastrophe in motion.
Thrust back into society, Cade struggles with the realization that the life he knew was a lie. But he’s not the only one. Trying to explain life in a normal town leaves Dara questioning it.
As the media swarm and the police close in, Dara and Cade risk everything to get closer. But will the truth about Cade’s past tear them apart?

Wild is a YA retelling of Tarzan, which I think is pretty cool. I've always loved the story of the primitive boy who's had to get by on his own in the wild before being exposed to real life. Though I do hope Wild brings something new to the table instead of just being a direct retelling of Tarzan.


The Jewel by Amy Ewing
Date: September 2, 2014
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The Jewel means wealth. The Jewel means beauty. The Jewel means royalty. But for girls like Violet, the Jewel means servitude. Not just any kind of servitude. Violet, born and raised in the Marsh, has been trained as a surrogate for the royalty––because in the Jewel the only thing more important than opulence is offspring.
Purchased at the surrogacy auction by the Duchess of the Lake and greeted with a slap to the face, Violet (now known only as #197) quickly learns of the brutal truths that lie beneath the Jewel’s glittering facade: the cruelty, backstabbing, and hidden violence that have become the royal way of life.
Violet must accept the ugly realities of her existence . . . and try to stay alive. But then a forbidden romance erupts between Violet and a handsome gentleman hired as a companion to the Duchess’s petulant niece. Though his presence makes life in the Jewel a bit brighter, the consequences of their illicit relationship will cost them both more than they bargained for.

The Jewel reminds me a bit of The Selection in premise and The Winner's Curse in packaging. Ultimately, I hope it will deliver on the entertainment factor of The Selection and the excellence of The Winner's Curse, while still bringing its own flavour to the genre. That's not too much to ask, right?


Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White
Date: September 9, 2014
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Jessamin has been an outcast since she moved from her island home of Melei to the dreary country of Albion. Everything changes when she meets Finn, a gorgeous, enigmatic young lord who introduces her to the secret world of Albion’s nobility, a world that has everything Jessamin doesn’t—power, money, status…and magic. But Finn has secrets of his own, dangerous secrets that the vicious Lord Downpike will do anything to possess. Unless Jessamin, armed only with her wits and her determination, can stop him.
Kiersten White captured readers’ hearts with her New York Times bestselling Paranormalcy trilogy and its effortless mix of magic and real-world teenage humor. She returns to that winning combination of wit, charm, and enchantment in Illusions of Fate, a sparkling and romantic new novel perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare, The Madman’s Daughter, and Libba Bray.

Illusions of Fate is being called "Downton Abbey meets Cassandra Clare" and that's all I really need to know to want to read this book. I wasn't the biggest fan of the only book of Kiersten White's I've read, Mind Games, but I still definitely want to give her writing another shot and I'm hopeful Illusions of Fate will be good stuff!


How about you? Are you waiting on any of these HarperCollins Summer 2014 reads? Are there any upcoming books from the HarperCollins Summer 2014 Catalog that I didn't include here that you feel I should add to my list?

20 comments :

  1. I haven't heard of any of these! A retelling of Tarzan, huh? That could be interesting.

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  2. I heard someone actually had a galley of Queen of Tearling. Lucky girl. And she said it's just as good as people are saying.

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  3. Oh my jeez, a retelling of Tarzan? Count me in! Queen Of Tearling sounds awesome, though this is the first I am hearing of it my finger is itching to go and preorder it. =)

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  4. I really like the sound of Wild. I haven't read a retelling of Tarzan before :) Illusions of fate has such a pretty cover and I liked her Paranormalcy series, so I can't wait.

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  5. I've been hearing a lot of buzz about The Queen of The Tearling. It is said to be the next Game of Thrones in a YA style. But they have categorized it as an Adult crossover because of it's mature scenes (I'm speaking about the villainess. What a terrible queen she is for making her slaves as prostitutes.) It's already in my reading list and hardly can't wait to get my hands on it! :)

    Mr. Book Wonder

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  6. I'm a new follower - love your blog title and layout!!!

    Also, great WOW picks! Kiersten White's cover is gorgeous!!

    Come and visit my Waiting on Wednesday!

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  7. I am excited to read The Jewel and I just love that cover. Great picks.

    New GFC follower.

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  8. If I said I want them all would that seem greedy? A lot of them just sound so spellbinding and intriguing.

    I'm a new follower and I'm kind of in love with your blog ( YOU ARE A MARSHMALLOW LIKE ME VM!!!!)

    Great layout, great content, and a great blog. You are fantastic.

    Here's my WOW if you'd like to check it out.

    Rebecca @ Vicariously!

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  9. That Illusions of Fate is crazy gorgeous.

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  10. I've never heard of The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen before, but I'm always wary of hyped books. I really like Kiersten White's books so I'll definitely will be checking her out.

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  11. Whaaa?? How had I never heard of The Queen of the Tearling before?! It sounds absolutely incredible - I've already added it to my TBR list :D Thanks for bringing it to my attention!! Wild is a new one for me as well and I have to say I'm quite intrigued. Hopefully like you say it will bring something fresh to the table! Illusions of Fate has a cover that just beckons doesn't it?! And Secret societies + magic? Count me in! I'm kind of curious about The Jewel I have to admit, but I think I'll wait and read some early reviews before I shelf it heh. Seriously awesome picks as usual Aylee ^^ xx

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  12. I just saw something about Emma Watson being attached the THE QUEEN OF THE TEARLING movie, I think. Cool!

    Kate @ Ex Libris

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  13. I've fallen behind on all of Kiersten White's books. I enjoyed her Paranormalcy series so I definitely want to read this one! The cover looks great too.
    Kathryn Cooper Writes' WoW

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  14. Thanks for sharing all these amazing books! I'm adding The Jewel to my Goodreads now! :D

    Waiting on Wednesday
    Dress Up That Cover

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  15. Harper definitely has some amazing books coming out this summer! I can't wait for Stray and Illusions of Fate!

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  16. Ooh, lots of great books coming out this summer! The Queen of the Tearling sounds amazing!

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  17. I'm super excited for The Queen of Tearling! Can't wait to read that one, and Wild looks awesome - how could I resist a Tarzan book? :-) Awesome picks, I need to add these to my TBR wish list asap!

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  18. All four sound amazing!!! :D The Jewel and Illusions of Fate were already on my to-read list, but The Queen of the Tearling and Wild sound fantastic! :D And the covers all all gorgeous, too!!! :D

    Awesome-tastic picks, Eilidh! :D I definitely hope I can read all four once they come out! There really does need to be more time in the day for reading...I just can't keep up with my ever-growing TBR pile! ;P

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